1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cleaning and conditioning agents, more particularly to household cleaning agents, laundry conditioning agents, and personal care products, and especially to laundry soaps.
2. General Background and State of the Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,939,488 and 7,608,573 describe household cleaning agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,372,708 describes household cleaning agents and addresses consumers' reliance on suds as an indicator that enough detergent has been applied.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,090,768 and 5,798,329 describe laundry detergents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,002 describes a liquid detergent and fabric conditioner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,729 describes a liquid disinfectant laundry detergent.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,206,761 describes a multipurpose cleaning composition comprising white vinegar and essential oils such as oils of eucalyptus, lemon, lavender, and grapefruit.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,222,192 describes composition for cleansing skin comprising an emulsifiable organic solvent, such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, water, sodium benzoate, and a natural essential oil a multipurpose cleaning composition comprising white vinegar and essential oils such as oils of eucalyptus, lemon, lavender, and grapefruit.
Soap nuts are discussed with reference to laundry detergents. See Greener Living Products Ltd. Website, “Greener Living Soap Nuts Organic Laundry Detergent,” http://www.buysoapnuts.com/. See the Wikipedia article on the shrub genus Sapindus, http://en.wikipedia.orq/wiki/Sapindus#Uses. See the article, “Homemade Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softener,” on the website, “Naturally Knocked Up,” http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/homemade-laundry-detergent/, this latter article containing miscellaneous web log postings referencing MRSA.
A website sells soap nuts for cleaning clothes, and also sells essential oils. See “livingnaturally” soapnut shop website, http://www.soapnuts.co.uk/buy essential-oil.html. Appended testimonials reference the addition of an essential oil to a soap mixture to endow it with a pleasing scent.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 20110256249 mentions extract of Sapindus Mukurossi fruit, known as soap nut, as providing a less irritating alternative to modern chemical formulations and as having cleansing, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties attributed to its saponin content. That patent application mentions Saponins as having properties including foaming, emulsifying, pharmacological, medicinal, antimicrobial, insecticidal, spermicidal, and molluscicidal activities. That application also mentions essential oils including those of Tea Tree, lavender, and lemongrass.
A webpage displaying the date 2012 advertises a bath bar soap containing oils of geranium and grapefruit. See “VLCC Anti Ageing Natural Bathing Bar,” http://mall.coimbatore.com/bnh/vlcc/antiageningnaturalbathing.htm.
Essential oils including, e.g., lemongrass oil, are discussed with reference to MRSA on the Essential Oil Seeker website, “Essential Oils and MRSA Staph Infections—Part 2” http://www.essentialoilseeker.com/?p=51.
Grapefruit seed extract is discussed as killing MRSA. See PeoplesRx website, http://www.peoplesrx.com/common/news/store_news.asp?task=store_news&SID_store_news=71&storeID=5ab72154906f41d99bdb3286d064ba81. Preservative and antimicrobial effects of grapefruit seed extract are discussed, see “The Truth About Preservatives Including Grapefruit Seed Extract and Parabens,” Treasuredlocks website, http://www.treasuredlocks.com/trabpringrse.html, and may also be controversial, see “Aspects of the antimicrobial efficacy of grapefruit seed extract and its relation to preservative substances contained,” PubMed.gov, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10399191.
Oregano oil is discussed for effectiveness against MRSA. See Livestrong.com website, “Oil of Oregano and MRSA,” http://www.livestrong.com/article/386942-oil-of-oregano-and-mrsa/.
Blending of essential oils with MRSA in mind is also discussed. See, e.g., Squidoo.com website, Resist Super Germs with Essential Oils,” http://www.squidoo.com/supergerms.